True Culinary Masters Should Ace This Test. Can You?

By: Stella Alexander
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
True Culinary Masters Should Ace This Test. Can You?
Image: PeopleImages/Digital Vision/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Do you love food? If you're like us, you definitely do! How could you not when there are tons of different cuisines to choose from? Some might say that Mexican food is their favorite while others could prefer Italian. Refined palates might put French delicacies first while spice chasers love Jamaican jerk chicken. The fact of the matter is that we might love to eat, but could you prove your skills in the kitchen? Are you a culinary master? Only this quiz will tell!

While most people would probably think they can hold their own in a kitchen, not everyone can be a culinary master! Binge-watching Top Chef or Iron Chef America doesn't mean you qualify as a gourmet chef, but this quiz might! There's an endless list of knowledge and skills that need to be honed to make it in the cuisine world and this quiz. 

Spices are just one aspect where it seems like a toss-up between coriander versus cumin and parsley versus cilantro. It gets deeper when you think about cooking beef options as rare, medium, or well-done. To make it a bit more confusing, could you handle making sure that pasta is perfectly al dente? Do you even know what that means? If you don't, this quiz might give you a slow burn, but if you do, you might be the queen or king of the kitchen.

You know the saying. If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen. We're turning the heat up with this quiz. Let's see if you'll break a sweat.

What is the first thing you should do before you start working with food?
Preheat the oven
Wash your hands
Measure ingredients
Set the table
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There's no rocket science behind this. When cooking, you should definitely wash your hands to get rid of germs and bacteria before handling food.

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What kind of wine should you serve with steak?
Red
White
Rose
Sparkling
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you're serving steak, it is best paired with red wine. Steak goes well with bold flavors like Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.

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When you're cooking meat, what should the internal temperature be?
100 degrees F
115 degrees F
145 degrees F
165 degrees F
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When cooking meat, you run into numerous concerns including bacteria. To cook meat safely, the internal temperature must be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Zest usually comes from what kind of food?
Meats
Fruit
Vegetables
Starches
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Zest comes from the skin of citrus fruits. Usually obtained from lemon, lime, and oranges, it is grated as a garnish on various meals.

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"Al dente" is a term used for what kind of food?
Chicken
Pasta
Vegetables
Cake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Al dente" is a cooking term that is applied to pasta and rice. It is an Italian phrase that means "to the tooth." This means that the pasta or rice has been cooked so that it is firm when you bite into it.

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If you want to cut food into short, thin strips, what method would you be using?
Mince
Dice
Cube
Julienne
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Julienne is a popular cutting method where they slice the product into thin strips. This is often done on vegetables like peppers or meats like chicken or steak.

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At what temperature does water boil?
32 degrees Fahrenheit
50 degrees Fahrenheit
100 degrees Fahrenheit
273 degrees Fahrenheit
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You'll often find that people boil water and food products to kill bacteria. This can only be done at 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Roux is made from what?
Butter and flour
Salt and butter
Olive oil and salt
Vinegar and salt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Roux is a name for a mixture that is used in making sauces. It is a combination of flour and butter and is used in sauces like bechamel.

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Which of the following methods refers to cooking under direct heat or over coals?
Broil
Bake
Roast
Boil
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Broil is a cooking method that is done under direct heat. It is suitable for various foods such as meets, shellfish, and vegetables.

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What type of food is predominantly made of carbohydrates?
Chicken
Broccoli
Rice
Beans
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Carbohydrates are a major macromolecule and play a huge role in many people's diets. You will find them as the main product of sweets and starches like rice, pasta, and potatoes.

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If you want to serve a dessert from France, which one would you choose?
Creme brulee
Tiramisu
Flan
Custard tart
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you're a culinary master, you'd know that French might be one of the most well-known places for desserts. In addition to the popular creme brulee, many sweet lovers like macarons, madeleines, crepes, and chocolate mousse.

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Chutney originated in which country?
China
India
Mexico
Russia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chutney is a base made of sugar, vinegar, and a series of spices. It can include other ingredients such as sweet apples or peaches to savory like tomatoes or celery.

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Which of the following foods are dairy?
Rice
Yogurt
Broccoli
Bread
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dairy is one of the major food groups, and includes products that are made from milk. Examples include foods like yogurt and cheese.

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How many ounces are in 1 cup?
2
4
6
8
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When cooking, you might need 1 cup, or maybe you'll need half a cup. As a culinary master, you'd have to know that 8 ounces is 1 cup.

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Which is bigger?
Teaspoon
Tablespoon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Teaspoons and tablespoons are popular methods of measuring. When comparing them, three teaspoons are equivalent to one tablespoon.

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If you wanted to cut shortening into flour, what tool would you use?
Pastry blender
Skillet trivet
Rolling pin
Whisk
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A pastry blender is a tool with "tines" at the end, which are rounded wires. It is used by pressing into the shortening, which separates it into even pieces of flour.

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What color is bechamel sauce?
Red
Green
Yellow
White
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bechamel is a French sauce that you'd find with dishes like lasagna. It is a white sauce made from butter, flower, milk, salt, and pepper.

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Which type of oven uses a fan?
Convection
Conventional
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A convection oven is different from a conventional oven in that it uses a fan to move the heat throughout an oven. Convection ovens work faster when cooking foods as compared to a conventional one.

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If you were serving Eggs Benedict, how would you cook the eggs?
Fried
Scrambled
Poached
Raw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Eggs Benedict is a popular breakfast dish where the eggs are poached. Poaching eggs is a cooking method where you gently pour a cracked egg into a pan of simmering water.

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If you have 3/4 of a cup, how much more is needed to equal 1 cup?
2/3
3/4
1/4
1/8
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You don't need to be a culinary master, but you do need to understand math for this! 3/4 plus 1/4 will give you a full cup.

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Which part of the chicken is leaner?
Leg
Breast
Thigh
Wings
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When it comes to chicken, the breast is the healthiest part. This is because it has the least fat than any other part of the body.

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For a source of protein, which of the following might you eat?
Rice
Eggs
Apples
Cheese
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Eggs are a good source of protein. While many used to say that the yolk was a bad precursor for cholesterol, egg whites are extremely high in protein.

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Why is it important to cut food into uniformly sized pieces?
Even cooking
The way it looks
Easier to stir
Better flavor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When cooking, it is important to make sure that all portions of similar food are of the same size. This is so the food can finish cooking at the same time.

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What does tempered chocolate mean?
Slowly frozen to prevent freezer burn
Quickly melted to preserve flavor
Heated and cooled
Flash frozen before grating
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tempering is a process done to chocolate that requires heating and cooling it. It is done to prevent chocolate from turning gray and for creating a smooth, crisp consistency.

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What is another name for green onions?
Cilantro
Coriander
Scallions
Cumin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Scallions are just another word for green onions. Rather than being circular like regular onions, they are white bulbs attached to stalky green/white stems.

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Which of these is NOT an ingredient in classic pesto?
Ginger
Basil
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pesto is a popular green sauce that is often served with breads. It is made from salt, basil, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, pine nuts, and grated cheese.

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What is "sous vide?"
A process of slowly cooking something in hot oil
A process that tenderizes a tough piece of meat by marinating it in vinegar
A process of cooling something in a vacuum sealed back in warm water
A cooking assistant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

From what you can take from the question, sous vide is a cooking process where the food is cooked in a temperature-controlled bath within a vacuum-sealed bag. This is often done to meat but can be done to vegetables as well.

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Egg yolk, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper are the ingredients for which sauce?
Bechamel
Hollandaise
Tartar
Vodka sauce
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hollandaise sauce is typically made from egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and butter. Cayenne pepper and white pepper are often extras.

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What is the term used to describe harmful bacteria spreading from raw foods to other foods?
Perpendicular contamination
Cross-contamination
Counter-contamination
Pro-contamination
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cross-contamination is when bacteria is transferred from one thing to another. You often hear this when people deal with meat.

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Around how long does it take to boil an egg?
2 minutes
7 minutes
12 minutes
20 minutes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This might differ depending on how cooked you want your eggs, but to fully cook an egg, it takes around 12 minutes.

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Which level of steak is the most cooked?
Rare
Medium
Medium-well
Well-done
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You'll find that everyone likes their steak to be cooked to different levels. Rare is barely cooked while well-done is completely cooked through.

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Who is the second-in-command in the kitchen?
Saucier
Meat cook
Poissonier
Sous-chef
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A sous-chef is the second in command in the kitchen. The title is French for "under chef."

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Which of the following isn't poultry?
Chicken
Duck
Turkey
Beef
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Poultry can be described as "fowl." While beef would be considered red meat, poultry is chicken, ducks, and turkey.

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How many French mother sauces are there?
1
2
5
7
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the food world, there are five French mother sauces. They are bechamel, veloute, espagnole, tomato sauce, and hollandaise.

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What method involves cutting food into cubes?
Mince
Dice
Stir
Slice
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dicing is a popular cutting method that ends with chopping the food into even sized cubes. This method also ensures food is cooked evenly.

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